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National Card Solutions Overview

An Organization With Many Names

Headquartered in Sacramento, California, National Card Solutions is a merchant account provider that serves standard-risk business types across the United States. National Card Solutions appears to share ownership or to be otherwise affiliated with three other credit card processors called Performance Merchant Alliance, United Card Solutions (unitedcardsolutions.com), and Direct Processors (directprocessors.com). All four companies have similar websites and promotional language, and all four appear to be represented by Jeff Easter, an online reputation management specialist.

Merchant account provider reviews reflect that National Card Solutions is a DBA of Prestige Payment Systems. That affiliation would explain the company’s connection to Easter, as Prestige Payment Systems is ripe with negative reviews and allegations of unethical business practices among merchants. United Card Solutions and Direct Processors are all other confirmed DBAs of Prestige Payment Systems.

Our own independent research has revealed a number of potential links between Performance Merchant Alliance, Prestige Payment Systems, and a company called National Paymentech. Merchants are advised to inquire as to whether National Card Solutions has any previous or current affiliation with Prestige Payment Systems, and specifically what Jeff Easter’s role is in all of the companies that have been identified in this review.

The Jeff Easter Connection

It is unclear at this time whether Jeff Easter is the owner of these companies, an employee of these companies, or a PR representative hired by these companies, but he is listed as the primary contact in three separate press releases about each organization. The Better Business Bureau also lists him as the principal of Performance Merchant Alliance. We have found some evidence that National Card Solutions was at one point partnered with BlueSquare Resolutions.

BBB Rating: National Card Solutions has a “D+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and has received 11 complaints and 1 review in the last 3 years.

Sales & Marketing: National Card Solutions does not appear to hire independently contracted agents but has received a moderate number of complaints about its sales team.

Rates & Fees: How Merchants Got The Best Rates With National Card Solutions

National Card Solutions Statement Analyzer

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National Card Solutions Rates, Fees, and Costs

Key Points

Swiped Rate

3.25% + $0.09

Keyed-in Rate

3.25% + $0.09

Annual Fee

Up to $197

Helpdesk Fee

$15 Per Month

Inactivity Fee

$99+ Per Month

PCI Compliance Fee

$150 Per Year

Early Termination Fee

$250

Equipment Lease Costs

Up to $77 Per Month

Equipment Lease Terms

48 Month (locked)

Three-Year Contract

Information on National Card Solutions’ pricing structure is sparse. The company’s website offers little insight into the company’s rates and fees. Since National Card Solutions is a DBA of Prestige Payments, this review will rely on information from its pricing structure.

Prestige Payment Systems offers three-tiered pricing for qualified, mid-qualified, and non-qualified merchants with rates as high as 3.25% plus $0.09. The agreement includes a PCI compliance fee of $150 which is billed annually. Merchant reviews reflect other fees from these contracts including a $50 annual fee, a $15 monthly “help desk” fee, and a $10 monthly statement fee. Some merchant complaints state that the company’s standard early termination fee is $250.

Beware Equipment Leases

National Card Solutions, like Prestige Payments, also appears to lease terminals through First Data Global Leasing, which typically offers 48-month, non-cancellable leases that cost up to $77 per month. As a general rule, we do not advise merchants to enter into contracts that include long-term, non-cancellable equipment leases. This is because most credit card processing equipment can be purchased in full for a one-time cost of under $500, while most equipment leases cost thousands of dollars over four years. Accordingly, we do not consider the company’s contract terms to be even remotely competitive with the cheapest merchant accounts available.

Response from National Card Solutions

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National Card Solutions Complaints & Customer Reviews

Key Points

Total Online Complaints

25+

Live Customer Support

Yes

Most Common Complaint

Sales Tactics

Over 25 Complaints

We are currently able to locate over 25 negative National Card Solutions reviews, some of which state that the company is a scam or a ripoff. Common complaints center around misrepresentation of rates, nondisclosure of contract terms, exorbitant leasing costs, and poor customer service. Many of the complaints refer to a sales agent named Jon Erickson, but it’s unclear what his role is at National Card Solutions. National Card Solutions has received fewer complaints than United Card Solutions and Direct Processors, but the complaints have been tonally similar to those other companies and have been posted at a steady rate.

National Card Solutions Lawsuits

We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against National Card Solutions. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.

National Card Solutions Customer Support Options

We have assigned National Card Solutions a “D” rating in this section due to the fact that there may be no substantive difference between the service provided by National Card Solutions and the service provided by its related companies. The National Card Solutions website states that the company offers 24/7 customer support by phone, but this number does not appear to do a good job of resolving merchant issues in-house. We therefore do not consider National Card Solutions to be a top-rated merchant account provider for customer service.

Response from National Card Solutions

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National Card Solutions BBB Rating Summary

Key Points - BBB

Product & Service Complaints

7

Billing & Collection Complaints

2

Advertising & Sales Complaints

2

Guarantee & Warranty Complaints

0

Delivery Complaints

0

Over 10 Complaints

National Card Solutions currently has a “D+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and is not BBB-accredited. The company has received 11 complaints in the last 36 months, as well as 2 complaints which have been closed in the last 12 months. 7 complaints related to product or service problems, 2 related to billing or collection, and 2 related to an advertising or sales issue. National Card Solutions successfully resolved 1 complaint, while 10 either were resolved to the merchant’s dissatisfaction or did not receive a final response from the merchant. One complaint received no response whatsoever, and this unaddressed complaint is the primary factor lowering the BBB’s rating.

What Merchants Say

In addition to the 11 complaints filed with the BBB, National Card Solutions has also received 1 informal negative review. The review forewarns merchants considering the company not to trust them:

No, do not trust these people. You will be disappointed. There is nothing up and up about them.

Response from National Card Solutions

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Truth In Marketing & Advertising

Key Points

Employs Independent Resellers

No

Advertises Deceptive Rates

No

Discloses All Important Terms

No

Heavy on Telemarketing

National Card Solutions appears to utilize telemarketing and an in-house sales team to market its service. The company does not appear to utilize independently contracted sales agents, but we have found a low-to-moderate number of National Card Solutions complaints that mention misrepresented fees and undisclosed contract terms. A specific sales agent is named in most of these complaints, but the issue may not be confined to him. The number of these complaints has risen steadily since we first published this review and is above average for a company that is this new to this industry.

Similar to United Card Solutions

United Card Solutions, a Portland, Oregon-based company that appears to be related to National Card Solutions, has received a high number of complaints regarding nondisclosure or misrepresentation by sales agents. It is unclear at this time whether United Card Solutions employs a different sales team or offers different contract terms than National Card Solutions, but the similarities in complaints suggest that the two companies may follow similar sales strategies. If you are concerned that National Card Solutions is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit.

An Insider Account

According to an email we have received from a former employee, National Card Solutions trains its agents to tell business owners that their equipment lease from First Data is actually a program fee to cover the cost of processing, and that their rates will be 0% for PIN debit transactions and 1% for standard credit card transactions with no interchange on top. These rates are unrealistically low and highly misleading. This informant states that the “program fee” can ultimately cost anywhere from $59 to $399 per month as part of a 48-month, non-cancellable equipment lease. This is an increasingly common tactic we have seen among some poorly rated providers, and it will lower the company’s score further if similar reports continue to come in.

Response from National Card Solutions

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National Card Solutions Marketing Example

Our Opinion of National Card Solutions

Poorly Rated in All Categories

National Card Solutions rates as a substandard merchant account provider according to our rating criteria. The company has not received the same volume of negative feedback as its affiliated businesses, but the available complaints paint a very familiar picture. Merchants should not assume that National Card Solutions will offer better service or lower rates than United Card Solutions, Direct Processors, Prestige Payment Systems, National Paymentech, or Performance Merchant Alliance. Like its affiliated companies, National Card Solutions is on pace to make our list of the worst merchant account providers in the industry.

About Phillip Parker

Thank you for reading my review. I hope that it has helped you with your research.

Why I'm Qualified to Write About Credit Card Processing

I'm a former credit card processing sales director who left the industry to start my own a small business. From the time that I starting working in the merchant services industry to when I left to write about it, I've been on the pulse of payments for nearly 15 years. It didn't seem fair to keep this insider knowledge to myself, so built this website to help small business owners research which service providers to use and how to save money on rates and fees. I've reviewed hundreds of companies, read thousands of user reviews, and learned the pricing tricks of every provider. If you have questions about credit card processing, you can find the answers here. I can help you save money with your current merchant account or help you find a new one. Message me here to get started.

Get started right away! I've help businesses save $1,156,834 this year alone! Submit a recent statement and I'll take a look at it for free.

22ReviewsLeave Your Review for National Card Solutions Below

This company is now representing itself as Pay Partners. The sales agents will completely lie to your face to get you to sign up. Once you’re transferred to another department it’s completely different. Everything you were told and promised was a lie. On top of the the customer service or representative handling your account is horrible and unprofessional. Please beware, I got an uneasy feeling almost immediately after my application and with every person I talk to it gets worse.

DO NOT LISTEN TO WHATEVER THEY TELL YOU!
I would not be struggling in debt if I’ve read the lease extremely carefully and have not been affected by their rushing on phone about signing the lease. I was young and wanted to help my family business so of course I would do anything to help us saving cost. Unfortunately it’s totally opposite. Their lease is for 48 months non-cancelable. No matter what happen to you or your business. You have to pay even though u have to shut down your business and return their equipments. They charge you triple price than other company (I just figured it out after a while comparing the statements). I tried to work with them and explain to them about our situation that we could not continue running the business because the issue with the landlord so we would like to return the equipment and terminate the lease. They told me that we still have to pay for 30 months left ($115/month) non-cancelable. WTF?? We closed our business bank account and just received a letter from them saying that if we don’t pay they will “report to certain credit reporting agencies”. BBB should jump in and shut this business down. They just want to rip off people!!!

DONT FUCKING DO IT. I got Wolf-On-Wallstreet’ed and the guy who sold me this bullshit is probably laughing his ass off about how much he’s making off of scamming my family and countless others….

I was thrusted into a management position for my family’s restaurant. I got a call on the phone about how we NEEDED to upgrade to chip compliant readers so that we wouldn’t get fined in 2017. “You’ll get the lowest rates, I promise. The machine comes with the card reader so you won’t have to pay extra!”

I was just a 23 year old college drop out, trying to help my family who was struggling… I should’ve done more research research because everything was a complete lie. Random processing fees split up into smaller fees so that we wouldn’t notice. The actual card machine wasn’t built into Clover like we were promised so we had to pay extra for 2 chip compliant terminals. I’m locked into a ironclad agreement where I can’t return the machines, or switch to another processor without screwing my family out of their whole life savings. I basically ran my family’s business into the ground and one of the big reasons is because this company is literally charging us double (almost triple) the fees as we were doing with Shopkeep.

Literally overpaying thousands of dollars that could’ve been used for health insurance, medical bills, equipment/restaurant maintenance and our own payroll.

Jon Erickson called me wanting to set me up to process credit cards for my small business saying he can cut my CC processing fees in half but alas they went up 2 1/2 times/ 5 times what he promised. He left his cell number to call if I had any problems, just call him & he would take care of any issues, but I could never get a hold of him. Jon Erickson is a CROOK!! as is everyone connected with National Card Solutions or First Data!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If anyone is interested I would like to file a Class Action Suit against ALL these CROOKS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS & GOD BLESS EACH and EVERYONE.

Irvin, I had the same salesman and same issues as you. I am still trying to get out of this BS. Now Prestige is taking over, I praying they can help. I sent 2 units back to them as they would not work here. Apparently First Data has not received them back so they can cancel my Lease.

Continuing to get a run around. Looks like the only way I can get rid of all the BS is to cancel my checking account and get a new one. WHAT a NIGHTMARE ! I will most defiantly reporting them to the BBB.

Hi Irvin, I’m with you on the class action against National Card Solutions. I was drastically misled as well and have an outrageous equipment lease and rate that I can’t get out of which is absurd. It is especially angering when you consider we have never used the equipment. Contact me about this.

Hi Irvin, I got the same issue with them that they tricked me to signed a 48 months lease (non-cancelable). Unfortunately we could not keep our family business and had to close. We closed our bank account and I just received their letter about they will report us to certain credit reporting agencies. I tried to deal with them about returning the equipment and they said I have to pay for 30 months left. Insane!!!

Same thing happened to us. We were forced to lease a credit card machine even though we are online only and have no storefront. 4 years later, its still wrapped in the box and I’m trying to cancel the service. All the numbers I could find so far are either disconnected or lead to a mailbox that isn’t checked…

I run a small hair salon, and I felt bullied by the sales man who insisted that I was not locked in to a long term contract, but now that I want to cancel my merchant services, I’m being told that I still have to continue for 3 years or pay a huge fee.

national cards solutions are scammers,liar if you try to cancel a contract you will pay whatever remainder balance you have with them for example if you pay 50$ a month and your contract is 4 years you end up paying $2400 but not only that you also have to finished paying the equipment and that will cost you $6000 more and the equipment real price is 500$ tops.
they lie about everything they say and if you contact costumer service like i did they will tell you
also the come up with different fees that don’t even make since “we are sorry there is nothing that i can do and is 7am here don’t speak so loud, why are you talking over me”
this is the worst company i ever worked with.
someone should do something about their scam and lies

I just read the earlier reviews. Read clearly. Jon Erickson is a liar plain and simple. Their subsidiary to camouflage the real culprit is merchantssolutioncenter is a total waste of time.

Give these people a wide area of safety as it will not be anything of a problem once you sign up. Anyone is welcome to contact me to hear what happened front to back. I will start the process of finding out who the owners are and keep moving forward until this is resolved. It is a total waste of time to speak with Holli, Angela, James of anyone at merchantscardsolutions. They have no solutions other than holing the money of small businesses in their quest for ripping you off.

National Card Solutions are a bunch of scammers, do not go with them. I was approached by their representative Jon Erickson via phone call (and he was extremely persistent, which should have been a red flag to begin with, but oh well.) Jon Erickson promised to waive any cancellation and setup fees, and “if they weren’t able to save me money, then I could cancel, no harm no foul.” I agreed to give them a try for a month. After a month, all of their hidden fees became apparent, and I went to cancel with them. In my contract, the “equipment lease” was listed as month to month with no cancellation, which I thought referred to processing. Nope! These scumbags have a SEPARATE fine print clause saying that you agree to processing for four years, which they happily informed me would scam me out of over a thousand dollars. Ashley Slaughter, their “cancellation expert” yelled over the phone and was completely unprofessional, and when I asked her to review the recorded phone calls pertaining to what Jon Erickson promised, she said, “Nope we don’t have those on file, we will be charging you the cancellation fee.” How convenient that they don’t record their promises to their clients. Steer WELL away from this scumbag company.

Comments about National Card Services …
We discussed with the sales representative, Jon Erickson of National Card Services, that we were a web/mail order business not a business that has the opportunity to swipe the customers credit card. I believe he knew that and new that 90% of our sales would be non-qualifying sales and that their fee structure would be out the window. Again he personally knew that our business was web and phone based, not swipe and used total sales estimates to create merchant services cost comparisons. He will not talk to us about this claim and their customer service is nearly impossible to talk to. They say they will call within 24 to 48 hours and we most certainly won’t be sitting at the phone when they call so I never expect to be able to discuss this with someone of authority. Their long term lease arrangement on the equipment is a total hoax. It was initially represented as a portion of their merchant fees, which I believe it is, but then is later called the equipment lease agreement so you end up paying over $7,000 for about $500 worth of equipment.

This company is an embarrassment to the business community and needs to be exposed for what they really are.

Please do not use profanity or ALL CAPITAL LETTERS in your review. Reviews must provide a detailed account of your experience. By submitting a review or comment to CPO, you are agreeing to our Comment Policy.

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About The Author

Phillip Parker is a former merchant services agent who now spends his time reviewing merchant account providers and writing articles about credit card processing to help small business owners find the right services for their needs.

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